The Vitals

My name is Kristin. I live with my husband (A.), three young sons (Cubby, Charlie, and Jack), and old collie dog (Mia) less than a mile from the Canadian border in the far northern woods of upstate New York. Once upon a time I was going country. Now I'm gone.

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Part of our toilet training efforts with Cubby have involved miniature marshmallows as a reward. I do not know why that child has such a great love of marshmallows, but he adores them more than anything else. So we now have mini marshmallows in the bread drawer.

I don't generally have much use for marshmallows, but there is no denying that there is something incredibly appealing about the miniature ones in hot chocolate. It's a (literal) small thing, but it always lifts my spirits to drop several of those small chunks of jelled sugar into my cocoa, where they will float and melt and get all gummy and yummy.

Just a random happy thought for you today.

P.S. Due to the 25 people we're expecting for Easter dinner tomorrow, it's entirely possible I will not be here tomorrow to wish you all a happy chocolate bunny day (not that I have one of those to look forward to tomorrow anymore . . .). So allow me to wish you a Happy Easter prematurely, poppets. May your day be merry and bright. And filled with the things that make you happy, large or small.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Cubby really loves curry. Anything curry. Which is great, because I love curry too. What I do NOT love, however, is curry powder staining every article of clothing that it touches. And when a two-year-old is eating it, that's a lot of clothing.

I suppose I could just not give him anything with curry powder in it, but that seems mean, considering how much he likes it. Maybe I should start letting him eat curry sans clothing. That'd be one solution.

And on a somewhat unrelated note, Cubby also seems to love anything he can eat on the go in the garden. At the moment, that only means a volunteer arugula plant and the chives. Arugula I can understand; I nibble on it myself from time to time. But chives? Plain chives? Those are spicy, man. The kid eats them by the handful and then goes around stinking of onion for the rest of the day.

He's very excited to start eating the asparagus, which is just starting to poke out of the ground. And I'll be very happy to let him eat it as soon as it's ready. Especially if it keeps him away from those chives. Gross.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

I don't spend a lot of time fantasizing about vacation destinations, mostly because I'm a realist and know that the next vacation I take--in the distant future--is likely going to involve two small boys and a tent.

A.'s a big proponent of family camping, you know. And I fear that our two sons will agree with him. I find the concept to be about as close to hell as I can imagine, but I suspect that there are many road trips with propane stoves and sleeping bags in my future.

But let's not think about that now. Let's indulge in some escapism instead, shall we?

I don't have a particular destination in mind, I guess, but I think I would like to take a trip in which everything is done for me. Like all the arrangements getting to and from airports and all the hotel bookings, maybe even food. And now that I think about it, for maximum laziness, I suppose it would be in an English-speaking country, because I find attempts to communicate in other languages stressful, but would hate to rely on an interpreter. I've never been anywhere in the British Isles, actually.

Ooo, I know! Here's what I want to do: I want to go on a home and garden tour in England in which every detail is arranged for me via some travel agency like Cook's. Remember Cook's in the Agatha Christie novels? They did everything.

Yeah. A home and garden tour, preferably with some edible gardens involved.

Just as soon as I come into a fabulous inheritance from a mythical relative. And, uh, am not pregnant and all.

So, duckies! When you lull yourself into a stupor in your cubicle dreaming about fantastic vacations*, where do you envision yourself?

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

I hate to say this aloud--or rather, type it for all the world to see--so let's all pretend it's being typed sotto voce, like a deep, dark secret: I think sleep is returning to normal.

The last couple of nights have been better, anyway. Good enough that I can get up a little while before Cubby does without feeling like a truck done runned me over. Which means I can make and drink coffee without the demands for a book or biscuit (who knew baking powder biscuits could be such a desired treat?) or a thousand other things showered upon me by my own small dictator first thing in the morning.

To say nothing of sitting in front of a little plastic potty at 6 a.m., watching and applauding what should be a private affair, before I'm even dressed and coherent.

That potty thing is getting better too, by the way, but I hate to push my luck by talking about it right now, so let's just leave it at that, shall we?